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Operation Redwing

Operation Redwing was a United States series of 17 nuclear test detonations from May to July 1956. They were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak atolls by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF7). The entire operation followed Project 56 and preceded Project 57. The primary intention was to test new, second-generation thermonuclear weapons. Also tested were fission devices intended to be used as primaries for thermonuclear weapons, and small tactical weapons for air defense. Redwing demonstrated the first United States airdrop of a deliverable hydrogen bomb during test Cherokee. Because the yields for many tests at Operation Castle in 1954 were dramatically higher than predictions, Redwing was conducted using an "energy budget": There were limits to the total amount of energy released, and the amount of fission yield was also strictly controlled. Fission, primarily "fast" fission of the natural uranium tamper surrounding the fusion capsule, greatly increases the yield of thermonuclear devices, and constitutes the great majority of the fallout, as nuclear fusion is a relatively clean reaction.

Redwing series tests
} + | dry surface,weapons development | TX-39 primary | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Mockup of the TX-39. Left a visible Crater off Runit Island, next to Cactus Dome, in diameter. |- ! Cherokee | 17:50:38.7 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Namu (Charlie), Bikini Atoll | 0 + | free air drop,weapons development | TX-15-X1 | style="text-align:center;" | | | | The United States' first air deliverable thermonuclear device. Navigation error landed weapon off aim point (Namu), negated effects data gathering and placing unprotected military personnel facing the blast they had been arranged to have their backs to. The air force identified the test technician that disclosed the miss as Airman First Class Jackson H. Kilgore, for which he was reprimanded. Effects test, but also an international political statement about readiness to drop thermonuclear weapons. |- ! Zuni | 17:56:00.3 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Eninmen (Tare), Bikini Atoll | + | dry surface,weapons development | Mk-41 Bassoon | style="text-align:center;" | | | | First test of 3 stage device. Clean version using lead tamper, 85% fusion; Tewa is dirty version of same bomb. Design evolved into Mk-41, largest deployed US bomb. |- ! Yuma | 19:56:?? | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | Swift | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Smallest ( diameter), lightest () air defense warhead to date, a boosted, asymmetrical linear implosion device. Fizzled when boost didn't work. |- ! Erie | 18:15:29.3 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | TX-28C primary | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Test of boosted primary for TX-28C (for "clean") thermonuke. |- ! Seminole | 00:55:30.0 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Bokon (Irene), Enewetak Atoll | + | dry surface,weapons development | TX-28 primary | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Exploded in a water tank to simulate underground nuke test. Left crater . |- ! Blackfoot | 18:26:00.3 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Small air defense prototype. A near-minimal diameter spherical implosion system, in diameter. |- ! Flathead | 18:26:00.1 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | TX-28S | style="text-align:center;" | | | | TX-28S (for "salted") test, intentionally dirty high fallout, 73% fission. |- ! Kickapoo | 23:26:?? | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Aomon (Sally), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | Swallow | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Linear implosion, air defense warhead test. |- ! Osage | 01:13:53.1 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Runit (Yvonne), Enewetak Atoll | 0 + | free air drop,weapons development | XW-25 | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Proof test of XW-25. |- ! Inca | 21:26:?? | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Rujoru (Pearl), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | XW-45 Swan | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Test of tactical warhead, evolved into XW-45. |- ! Dakota | 18:06:00.2 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | TX-28C | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Prototype of XW-28C. Became the most versatile, widely used design in the US, from 1958 to 1990. |- ! Mohawk | 18:06:?? | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Ebiriru (Ruby), Enewetak Atoll | + | tower,weapons development | Swan/Flute | style="text-align:center;" | | | | |- ! Apache | 18:06:00.2 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | XW-27 / Zither | style="text-align:center;" | | | | Same primary as Lacrosse; Prototype of XW-27 warhead for Regulus missile. |- ! Navajo | 17:56:00.3 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || NE Lagoon, Bikini Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | TX-21C | style="text-align:center;" | | | | 95% fusion, cleanest shot fired until 1958. |- ! Tewa | 17:46:00.0 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Yurochi aka Irioj (Dog), Bikini Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | Mk-41 ? "Bassoon Prime" | style="text-align:center;" | | | | 87% fission; first US 3 stage device, dirty version of Bassoon tested in Zuni, with tamper change. Developed into Mk-41. |- ! Huron | 18:16:00.1 | style="text-align:center;" | MHT (11 hrs) || Elugelab (Flora), Enewetak Atoll | 0 + | barge,weapons development | XW-50 ? Proto "Egg" | style="text-align:center;" | | | | 2 Stage thermonuke, XW-50 prototype. |} ==Gallery==
Gallery
File:Bassoon Prime.jpg|Redwing-Tewa device within shot-cab. File:Redwing Tewa 003.jpg|Redwing-Tewa event crater. File:Redwing Seminole 002.jpg|Redwing-Seminole test device. File:Atombombentest Redwing-Seminole 02.jpg|Redwing-Seminole, 13.7-kilotons. File:Redwing Apache.jpg|Redwing-Apache, 1.8-megatons. File:RedWingZuni.gif|Redwing-Zuni, 3.5-megatons. File:Redwing Tewa 2.gif|Redwing-Tewa, 5-megatons. File:RedwingLacrosse.gif|Redwing-Lacrosse, 40-kilotons. File:Redwing Dakota 001.jpg|Redwing-Dakota., 1.1-megatons. File:RedwingCherokee.gif|Redwing-Cherokee, 3.8-megatons. File:Operation Redwing - Huron 001.jpg|Redwing-Huron, 250-kilotons. ==References==
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